1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an electrical receptacle connector and, more particularly, to an electrical receptacle connector capable of receiving an electrical plug connector to be inserted therein in either upside-up or upside-down directions.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Electrical devices transfer electrical signals therebetween through the connection of electrical connectors, such as universal serial bus (USB) connectors commonly used in the field. The USB Type-C connectors include an electrical receptacle connector and an electrical plug connector, and the electrical receptacle connector is capable of receiving the electrical plug connector to be inserted therein in either upside-up or upside-down directions. The conventional electrical receptacle connector includes an insulating housing, double-row receptacle terminals, and a shield shell. The insulating housing made of plastic material includes a base and a tongue extending forwardly from a central portion of the base. The shield shell made of metallic material covers the insulating housing. The shield shell and the tongue cooperatively define a receiving cavity configured to receive the electrical plug connector to be inserted therein. The double-row receptacle terminals made of metallic material are disposed on the insulating housing. Contact portions of the receptacle terminals are separately disposed on upper and lower surfaces of the tongue, and, moreover, the upper-row receptacle terminals and the lower-row receptacle terminals are arranged in 2-fold rotational symmetry with respect to the central point of the receiving cavity. In other words, the upper-row receptacle terminals can be rotated about the central point by an angle of 180° to coincide with the lower-row receptacle terminals and vice versa.
When the electrical plug connector is inserted in the receiving cavity of the electrical receptacle connector in the upside-up direction, single-row plug terminals of the electrical plug connector contact the upper-row receptacle terminals of the electrical receptacle connector to transfer the first set of signals. When the electrical plug connector is inserted in the receiving cavity of the electrical receptacle connector in the upside-down direction, the single-row plug terminals of the electrical plug connector contact the lower-row receptacle terminals of the electrical receptacle connector to transfer the second set of signals. The transfer specification of the first set of signals is the same as that of the second set of signals so that the electrical plug connector inserted in the electrical receptacle connector in the upside-up or upside-down direction provides the same transfer function.